Accused drug dealer released

ACCUSED drug trafficker Thomas Edward Martin has been granted bail after spending a week in the custody of the Toowoomba watchhouse.

Martin, 66, was arrested last week after cold case police investigating the 1974 disappearance and suspected murder of Barbara McCulkin and her daughters Vicki and Leanne turned up a number of allegedly drug-related items at his property at Massie outside Warwick.

Police claim the search uncovered $300,000 in cash, 30kg of marijuana with an estimated street value of up to half a million dollars and a number of weapons including a self-loading .22 rifle, a revolver, a .45 semi-automatic pistol and a pump-action shotgun.

Martin has not yet been required to enter any pleas to the charges.

His solicitor Nathan Bouchier appeared before Toowoomba Magistrates Court yesterday, telling the court his client was not required to be brought up from the watchhouse into court but he would apply for bail on his client's behalf.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Alister Windsor told the court he was instructed to withdraw the police objection to bail.

Magistrate Bruce Schemioneck said he would grant bail on the condition Martin surrendered his passport to police.

The case was adjourned for mention back in the same court on December 16.